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About Me

I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations.
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Thursday, August 13, 2009

My To Do List...

I have a long list of home projects I was hoping to accomplish this summer. So far, the only thing I've been able to cross of my list has been the first item-- to make a list. I am not sure where time has gone, but I really need to get busy if I'm going to get any of these projects completed before Scott returns to work.

Cleaning our storage garage has been an ongoing, looming project. Several summers ago we purchased shelving and tried to get organized. I can't say that the space was ever clean, but it was certainly maneuverable, which was a huge improvement. Two weeks after we cleaned out the room, our neighbor gave us a fabulous race car bed for Robby. Robby was still in a crib, so the bed was placed into the storage garage.

The bed claimed any clean space we were able to obtain through our organization efforts. For the last two years, we have been unable to do little but open the door and toss in items, hoping to close the door before something fell. Now that he is a "big boy" we have disassembled the crib and put up the race car bed. Vroom Vroom... he is thrilled!

Since my excuse for the cluttered garage is gone, I resolved to get busy and get organized. This type of chore is not Scott's strongest suit, so he is assigned the job of entertaining our little three-year old "helper."

My first category has to be baby equipment. I am astounded at how such a small little person can require such big items. And to make matters worse, I have at lease two of everything.

I am sure my friends were expecting me to have twins when they saw my baby registry. There was a method to my madness, and I would recommend this to any expectant amputee. Because of my amputation, I knew that there were going to be days when it was difficult for me to walk. I also knew that carrying around a baby was going to be more laborious and would contribute to increased pain. I planned for periods of immobility and for the possibility of revision surgeries.

I wanted to have equipment for the baby both upstairs and downstairs. With seats, swings and playpens throughout the house, I wasn't going to have to lug large and awkward apparatus into another room so that I could watch TV, cook dinner or clean. My plan worked perfectly, and I never lacked a safe resting location for Robby.

I was also correct when I feared immobility and revision surgeries. I developed bone spurs during the pregnancy because of the excess calcium. Seven weeks after Robby was born, I was in the hospital having surgery on my stump. I was without my prosthetic for six weeks, and walking after the surgery remained difficult for months.

During this recovery I was thankful for the safe places to lay Robby. I kept him in the bassinet next to our bed so that I could care for him without walking. When I did need to move throughout the house, I used my Roller-Aid and strapped Robby to my chest in his carrier. I had a bouncer in the bathroom so that I could put him down when I needed to use the facilities. A swing was in the kitchen so that he could be unstrapped and put down when I was preparing bottles or lunch for myself.

Our house was cluttered with baby equipment for many months. I am sure that our guests were taken aback when they saw the odd placement of some of Robby's seats. However, it was practical and functional, and I was able to care for Robby.

One unforeseen consequence of my "baby equipment plan" has been the space that all of this equipment takes up in storage. Two sets of shelves will surely be filled with disassembled bouncers, swings, beds, playpens, and just about anything else that you've ever seen at Babies R Us! I probably have enough equipment to start my own daycare.

I suppose I could have a yard sale to unload some of the toys and to make some extra money. I guess I'm just not ready to get rid of everything yet. Who knows, maybe I'll need to pull it out again someday for another baby. For now, I'll just keep it in the garage, neatly stacked and organized on the shelves. That is, as soon as I get around to it.